Systems and methods for user interfaces designed for rotary input devices

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for providing visual navigation cues in user interfaces for use with rotary input devices are described. One described method comprises causing a plurality of graphical objects to be displayed in an arc. The curvature of the arc is configured to convey the ordinal relationship for navigating between each of the plurality of graphical objects with a rotary input device. The curvature of the arc is independent of the spatial relationship between the rotary input device and a display.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.60/466,284 filed Apr. 28, 2003, the entire disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference.

NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT PROTECTION

A section of the disclosure of this patent document and its figurescontain material subject to copyright protection. The copyright ownerhas no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patentdocument, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to user interface design. Thepresent invention more particularly relates to design of user interfacesfor use with rotary input devices.

BACKGROUND

Rotary inputs, such as knobs, are common in a multitude of everydaydevices. Historically, rotary inputs have been mechanically linked tothe component they control. Any indication of the current setting wasprovided by markings on the housing of the device where the rotary inputis installed.

For example, in a conventional analog radio, the volume control includesa knob with alignment markings on the front panel of the radio. When theknob is rotated, alignment of a mark on the knob with one of the markson the panel indicates the volume setting. In such a configuration, itis obvious to the user of the radio how to increase the volume;typically, clockwise rotation of the knob increases the volume.

The configuration of the rotary input in a conventional digital devicemay be different than the configuration of an analog device. Forexample, many conventional digital electronic devices, such as thosefound in homes, automobiles, and portable devices, include a display fordisplaying the state of the device. The display includes informationcorresponding to the position of the rotary input device. In such adevice, the knob's location relative to the display provides the userwith an indication of which direction to turn the knob to increment asetting. For example, in an automotive radio with a conventional digitaldisplay the fader control is typically represented by a bar graph withthe front of the car to the left and the rear to the right. The middleof the graph represents an equal balance between the front and rearspeakers of the car. The bar graph is typically located above the knobso that by turning the knob clockwise, the signal and the correspondingbar graph is shifted towards the rear of the car. If the spatialrelationship between the control and the display is not well designed,the direction that the user is supposed to turn the input may beambiguous, i.e., the user will be unsure whether to turn the rotaryinput clockwise or counter clockwise to select the next item in a list.

In one conventional interface design, a virtual knob displayed in theinterface provides the user with a visual cue regarding how to move thephysical knob located on the console. The physical knob is verticallyaligned with and located below the screen and is turned based on therepresentation shown on the screen, i.e., a clockwise motion impliesleftward movement; a counterclockwise motion implies a rightwardmovement. While this combination provides an intuitive interface, italso requires a large display in order to display both the menu itemsand the virtual knob. In some sections of the interface, the virtualknob is not displayed. If the knob is placed below (or above) thedisplay, the position of the knob indicates which direction to turn theknob to select form a horizontal list; if the knob is placed beside thedisplay, the position indicates which direction to turn the knob for avertical list. However, if the knob is placed below (or above) thedisplay, it is unclear in which direction to turn the knob to selectfrom a vertical list. Similarly, if the knob is placed next to thedisplay, it in unclear in which direction to turn the knob to selectfrom a horizontal list.

As electronic devices continue to evolve, the complexity and number offeatures they include continues to increase. The increase in complexitymakes it difficult to place a number of rotary input locations thatprovide the user with visual cues for how to operate the device.Additionally, the size of the devices and of the displays for providinginformation and navigational cues to the user continues to decrease. Thedecrease in size makes it difficult or impossible to provide a virtualknob in the display to provide a visual cue.

Thus a need exists for providing a user with a visual cue for using arotary input device in complex electronic devices.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods forproviding visual navigation cues in user interfaces for use with rotaryinput devices. One embodiment of the present invention implements amethod comprising causing a plurality of graphical objects to bedisplayed in an arc. The curvature of the arc is configured to conveythe ordinal relationship for navigating between each of the plurality ofgraphical objects with a rotary input device. The curvature of the arccan be based at least in part on the spatial relationship between therotary input device and a display.

Further details and advantages of embodiments of the present inventionare set forth below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention are better understood when the following Detailed Descriptionis read with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate conventional horizontal displays andcorresponding rotary inputs;

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate conventional vertical displays andcorresponding rotary inputs;

FIG. 3 illustrates another conventional display in which placement ofthe rotary input provides a visual cue to a user regarding navigation ofa list of elements;

FIG. 4 is an illustration of an exemplary environment for one embodimentof the present invention in an automobile interior;

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a menu for accessing functions ofelectronic devices in an automobile in one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is an illustration of another embodiment of the present inventionfor displaying the menu shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a radio balance control representation inone embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a flowchart, illustrating a process for navigating a list inone embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a flowchart, illustrating the process of generating an outputsignal for each of two displays in one embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals indicate likeelements throughout the several figures, FIGS. 1-4 illustrateconventional configurations of interface elements utilizing a rotaryinput device, such as a rotary switch. FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrateconventional horizontal displays and corresponding rotary inputs.Placement of the knob in relation to the display provides the user witha visual cue regarding movement of the knob in relation to progressionthrough the displayed elements. By utilizing a rotary degree of freedomfor control of the interaction with the display, the interface designeris requiring the user to recognize an ordinal relationship between thevarious elements displayed. In other words, when a user utilizes arotary input device, the user moves through elements sequentially. Incontrast, in a system utilizing a mouse or other pointing device, theuser is able to navigate between the displayed elements without regardto order.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, an interface design includes a knob102 located below a horizontal display 104. The horizontal displaycomprises multiple elements. Clockwise (“CW”) rotation of the knob 102results in movement from left to right along arrow 106. Receiving andinterpreting the movement of a rotary device is well known to those ofskill in the art and will therefore not be described in detail herein.The relationship between movement of the knob and navigation through thelist is obvious to a user because of the position of the knob 102relative to the horizontal display 104, i.e., the position of the knob102 provides a visual cue to the user. In the embodiment shown in FIG.1B, the interface includes a knob 108 located above a horizontal display110. Clockwise rotation of the knob 108 results in movement from rightto left along arrow 112. In the embodiment shown, counterclockwiserotation results in movement in the opposite direction (i.e., from leftto right). This same behavior is exhibited in other exemplaryembodiments described herein.

Arrangement of the knob with a corresponding vertical display can alsoprovide a cue to a user as illustrated by the embodiments shown in FIGS.2A and 2B. In FIG. 2A, the interface includes a knob 202 located to theright of a vertical display 204. Clockwise rotation of the knob resultsin movement from the bottom of the list of elements to the top alongarrow 206. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2B, a knob 208 is located tothe left of a vertical display 210. Clockwise rotation of the knob 208results in a top-to-bottom movement through the list along arrow 212.

FIG. 3 illustrates another conventional interface in which placement ofthe rotary input provides a visual cue to a user regarding navigation ofa list of elements. In the embodiment shown, a knob 302 is located inthe middle of a square display 304. The square display 304 is equivalentto combining the vertical and horizontal displays illustrated in FIGS. 1and 2. The list of elements is presented in a clockwise fashion aroundthe knob 302. Clockwise rotation of the knob results in clockwiserotation through the elements presented in the display along arrows 306a-d.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of an exemplary environment for one embodimentof the present invention in an automobile interior. The embodiment shownincludes a dashboard 402. Installed in the dashboard is a display screen404. Display screens such as the one shown have become common inautomotive applications as the number and complexity of controlsincrease. In some implementations, a screen operates with a singledevice, such as the radio or the climate control system. In someembodiments, one screen performs the display function for severaldevices. In other embodiments, multiple screens may be used to displaythe same or similar information, either concurrently or at differenttimes based on the combination of information a user requests to view.For example, navigation information may appear in the dashboard displayscreen 404 and on a heads up display projected on the windshield infront of the driver. Similar embodiments may be implemented in otherapplications, such as in airplane control systems.

The embodiment shown also includes a knob 406 linked to rotary inputdevice (not shown) for navigating functions displayed on the displayscreen 404. The rotary input device may, for example, be an analogpotentiometer, a simple rotary encoder, or may be a more complex devicethat has the capability to translate laterally, acting as a joystick, orto translate along the axis of rotation, providing the capability topush the knob down or pull the knob up. A knob including rotation,lateral, and translatiional degrees of freedom is described in U.S.application Ser. No. 09/783,936, filed Feb. 14, 2001, the entirety ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference.

The embodiment shown also includes a processor (not shown) for receivinginput signals from the knob (406) or from other input devices and forsending output signals to the display (404) or to other visual, audio,or haptic output devices. The knob (406), and corresponding rotary inputdevice, or the display (404) may include an integrated processor, suchas an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). If so, thisintegrated processor may be utilized alone or in combination withanother processor.

Alternatively, the processor may be separate from either device and mayor may not be utilized by other systems. The processor may include, forexample, digital logic processors capable of processing input, executingalgorithms, and generating output as necessary in response to the inputsreceived from the knob (406) or from other input devices.

Such processors may include a microprocessor, an ASIC, and statemachines. Such processors include, or may be in communication with,media, for example computer-readable media, which stores instructionsthat, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform thesteps described herein. Embodiments of computer-readable media include,but are not limited to, an electronic, optical, magnetic, or otherstorage or transmission device capable of providing a processor, such asthe processor in communication with a touch-sensitive input device, withcomputer-readable instructions. Other examples of suitable mediainclude, but are not limited to, a floppy disk, CD-ROM, magnetic disk,memory chip, ROM, RAM, an ASIC, a configured processor, all opticalmedia, all magnetic tape or other magnetic media, or any other mediumfrom which a computer processor can read instructions. Also, variousother forms of computer-readable media may transmit or carryinstructions to a computer, including a router, private or publicnetwork, or other transmission device or channel, both wired andwireless. The instructions may comprise code from anycomputer-programming language, including, for example, C, C++, C#,Visual Basic, Java, and JavaScript.

In the embodiment shown, the knob 406 is located directly below thedisplay screen 404. The diameter of the knob 406 is smaller than boththe height and the width of the display 404. Accordingly, a verticallist of elements on the display 404 may be directly above the knob, tothe right of the knob, or to the left of the knob 406. A vertical listof elements on the display 404 will be above the knob 406. The spatialrelationship may or may not provide a cue to the user at to how tonavigate the list of elements using the knob 406. For example, if avertical list of elements is presented directly above the knob, the usermay be unsure as to which direction to turn the knob 406 to move in thedesired direction. Also, the vertical list of elements may be presentedin multiple displays, further complicating the user's task ofdetermining in which direction to turn the knob 406.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a menu for accessing functions ofelectronic devices in an automobile in one embodiment of the presentinvention. In the embodiment shown, the menu 502 is displayed on thedisplay (402) directly above the knob (406). The menu 502 includes aplurality of menu options 504 a-f. In a conventional system in which themenu is not curved, the direction in which the knob is turned to movefrom one menu option to the next is ambiguous because the menu displaydoes not provide a visual cue to the user. However, in the embodimentshown, the curvature of the graphical display provide a visual cue tothe user that clockwise rotation of the knob (406) results in movementfrom the bottom of the list of menu option to the top along arrow 506.

FIG. 6 is an illustration of another embodiment of the present inventionfor displaying a menu comprising the menu items shown in FIG. 5. In theembodiment shown, the display (404) displays a menu 602. The menu 602includes a list of elements 604 a-f. The menu 602 has the shape of arectangle, having the list of elements 604 a-f displayed vertically. Toprovide a visual cue to aid the user, the embodiment shown includes acurved enclosure 606 around the menu 604. Based on the curvature of theenclosure 606, it is obvious to a user that clockwise rotation of theknob (406) will result in movement from top to bottom through the listof elements 604 a-f along arrow 608. An embodiment such as the one shownis relatively simple to implement. It also can be used with existingsystems with minimal changes to the code for creating, displaying, andnavigating the menu 604.

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a radio balance control representation inone embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment shown, thegraphical elements of the balance representation 702 are arranged in acurve, providing a visual cue to the user. Clockwise rotation of theknob (406) results in right to left movement between the variouselements of the representation 702 along arrow 704. The embodiment shownin

FIG. 7 illustrates that the representation may comprise a plurality ofelements arranged in a curve. The embodiment shown includes no outline,and the elements are not contiguous.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 7 may be implemented in the automobileenvironment shown in FIG. 4. In such an environment, the balancerepresentation 702 appears on the display (404) above the control knob(406). In such an embodiment, the user would typically expect to turnthe knob (406) clockwise to increase the volume of the right sidespeaker(s) while simultaneously decreasing the volume of the left sidespeaker(s). However, the visual cue provided by the arc instructs theuser to instead turn the knob (406) counterclockwise to increase thevolume of the right side speaker(s).

FIG. 8 is a flowchart, illustrating a process for navigating a list inone embodiment of the present invention. The process may be implementedvia processor-executable code stored in a computer-readable medium. Inthe embodiment shown, the processor first receives clockwise input fromthe rotary device 802. The clockwise input may be in the form of achange in resistance from a potentiometer, quadrature or binary (gray)coded output from a rotary encoder, or some other type of input providedby the rotary device. The processor then receives the layout and thedirection of the curve 804. In the embodiment shown, the layoutinformation includes whether the list of elements is presented in ahorizontal or vertical fashion and in what direction the display curves.The processor evaluates this information to determine if the elementlist is presented horizontally or vertically 806.

If presented vertically, the processor next determines whether the listof elements curves to the right (i.e., having the ends located to theleft relative to the middle) or to the left (i.e., having the endslocated to the right relative to the middle) based on the layoutinformation. If the list of elements curves to the left and assumingthat the list is ordered from top to bottom, the processor decrements ormoves to the previous ordinal position in the list 810. The processormay perform additional steps after detecting a movement, such asdisplaying an undisplayed element when the rotary input device is turnedbeyond the first or last element displayed; this may be referred to as“scrolling the list.” Once the steps shown are complete, the processends until additional input is received 814. If the curve of a verticallist is to the right, the processor increments or moves to the nextordinal position 812.

If the list of elements is presented horizontally, the processordetermines whether the list of elements curves up (i.e., having the endslocated relatively lower relative to the middle) or down (i.e., havingthe ends located relatively higher relative to the middle) in thedisplay 816. If the list elements are ordered left-to-right and thedisplay curves down towards the bottom of the screen, then the processordecrements or moves to the previous ordinal position within the list ofelements 818. If the display curves up, the processor increments ormoves to the next ordinal position within the list of elements.

One embodiment of the present invention varies the curvature of the arcbased at least in part on the spatial relationship between the knob(406) and a display, such as the display (402). In one such embodimentin which two displays are utilized for displaying a list of elements,the curvature of the arc in which the list of elements is displayed mayvary between the two displays if the spatial relationship between eachof the displays and the rotary input device varies. FIG. 9 is aflowchart illustrating the process of generating output signals in onesuch embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment shown, alist of elements is to be displayed on two displays approximatelysimultaneously. The processor receives an input signal indicating theposition of the input device 902. The processor also receives theposition of the first display 904. Based on the two positions, theprocessor determines the spatial relationship between the rotary inputdevice and the first display 906. For example, the spatial relationshipmay indicate that the display is above and to the right of the center ofthe knob. In other embodiments, the processor receives an input signalthat indicates the spatial relationship between the display and therotary input device and does not determine the relationship based on thelocation inputs. The processor also receives the location of the seconddisplay 908 and determines the spatial relationship between the rotaryinput device and the second display 910.

The processor generates a first output signal based on the spatialrelationship between the input device and the first display 912. Theprocessor also generates a second output signal based on the spatialrelationship between the input device and the second display 914. Forexample, in one embodiment, the first display is directly above thecenter of the input device, and the second display is to the left of theinput device. The processor determines that the curve of the arc shouldbe to the left and generates an output signal for both displays thatcauses the display to curve the arc to the left. Typically, the curvesof the arcs on multiple displays will be in the same direction tominimize confusion of the user.

In the embodiment described in relation to FIG. 9, the two displaysgenerated to display the same list. In another embodiment, two separatelists or menus are generated. The user interacts with one of these twolists, and then switches to the other list by, for example, selecting anoption on the first list. The user may further select an option on thesecond list to return to the first list. The menus may be curved basedon a spatial relationship with the knob or may not be; the curve of thedisplay provides the visual cue to the user regardless of the spatialrelationship between the knob and the display. Also, the menus may havedifferent orientations from one another (e.g., one vertical and onehorizontal) and may be curved differently (e.g., one to the right andone to the left). An embodiment may include more than two menus.

An embodiment of the present invention may be implemented in anyinterface utilizing a rotary input. Several of the embodiments describedherein have been described in relation to an automobile. Airplanes,marine vessels, and other forms of transportation would benefit fromsimilar embodiments. In addition, rotary inputs are common in portableelectronic devices, such as cell phones, personal digital assistants,radios, MP3 players, digital cameras, and other similar devices. Anembodiment of the present invention may also be utilized in powercontrol applications.

An embodiment of the present invention may also be implemented in apersonal computer interface. For example, many users of home computersutilize audio and video editing applications. Many of these applicationsinclude interfaces utilizing rotary input, such as varying settings onan appliance, such as volume control, color saturation, navigationwithin a song or film, and various other features.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the inventionhas been presented only for the purpose of illustration and descriptionand is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to theprecise forms disclosed. Numerous modifications and adaptations thereofwill be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from thespirit and scope of the present invention.

1. A method comprising: receiving an input signal indicating theposition of a rotary input device relative to a display; and generatingan output signal configured to cause a plurality of graphical objects tobe displayed in an arc in the display, the arc having a curvatureconfigured to convey an ordinal relationship for navigating between eachof the plurality of graphical objects with the rotary input device, thecurvature of the arc being based at least in part on a spatialrelationship between the rotary input device and the display.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the display is a first display, the inputsignal is a first input signal, and the output signal is a first outputsignal, and further comprising: receiving a second input signalindicating the position of the rotary input device relative to a seconddisplay; and generating a second output signal configured to cause theplurality of graphical objects to be displayed in an arc in the seconddisplay, the arc having a curvature configured to convey an ordinalrelationship for navigating between each of the plurality of graphicalobjects with the rotary input device, the curvature of the arc beingbased at least in part on a spatial relationship between the rotaryinput device and the second display.
 3. A method comprising: generatinga signal configured to cause a plurality of graphical objects to bedisplayed in an arc, the arc having a curvature configured to convey anordinal relationship for navigating between each of the plurality ofgraphical objects with a rotary input device; transmitting said signalto create a first display; and transmitting said signal to create asecond display.
 4. A method comprising generating a signal configured tocause a plurality of graphical objects to be displayed in an arc, thearc having a curvature configured to convey the ordinal relationship fornavigating between each of the plurality of graphical objects with arotary input device, the curvature of the arc being independent of thespatial relationship between the rotary input device and a display. 5.The method of claim 4, wherein the arc is an arc of less than 360degrees.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of graphicalobjects comprises a plurality of list elements.
 7. The method of claim4, wherein the arc is curved to the right and further comprising:receiving a signal indicating a clockwise rotation of the rotary inputdevice; and causing a subsequent graphical object of the plurality ofgraphical objects to be selected.
 8. The method of claim 4, wherein thearc is curved to the right and further comprising: receiving a signalindicating a counter-clockwise rotation of the rotary input device; andcausing a previous graphical object of the plurality of graphicalobjects to be selected.
 9. The method of claim 4, wherein the arc iscurved to the left and further comprising: receiving a signal indicatinga clockwise rotation of the rotary input device; and causing a previousgraphical object of the plurality of graphical objects to be selected.10. The method of claim 4, wherein the arc is curved to the top andfurther comprising: receiving a signal indicating a clockwise rotationof the rotary input device; and causing a subsequent graphical object ofthe plurality of graphical objects to be selected.
 11. The method ofclaim 4, wherein the arc is curved to the bottom and further comprising:receiving a signal indicating a clockwise rotation of the rotary inputdevice; and causing a previous graphical object of the plurality ofgraphical objects to be selected.
 12. The method of claim 4, wherein therotary device comprises one of a jog shuttle, a control wheel, a rotaryswitch, and a scroll wheel.
 13. The method of claim 4, wherein the arcis curved to the right and further comprising: receiving a signalindicating a clockwise rotation of the rotary input device; and causingan index of the plurality of graphical objects to be incremented. 14.The method of claim 4, wherein the arc is curved to the left and furthercomprising: receiving a signal indicating a clockwise rotation of therotary input device; and causing an index of the plurality of graphicalobjects to be decremented.
 15. The method of claim 4, wherein the signalis a first signal and the arc is a first arc, and further comprisinggenerating a signal configured to cause a plurality of graphical objectsto be displayed in a second arc, the second arc having a curvatureconfigured to convey the ordinal relationship for navigating betweeneach of the plurality of graphical objects with the rotary input device,the curvature of the second arc being independent of the spatialrelationship between the rotary input device and the display andindependent of the curvature of the first arc.
 16. The method of claim15, further comprising switching between the first arc and the secondarc.
 17. A computer-readable medium on which is encodedprocessor-executable program code, comprising: program code forreceiving an input signal indicating the position of a rotary inputdevice relative to a display; and program code for generating an outputsignal configured to cause a plurality of graphical objects to bedisplayed in an arc in the display, the arc having a curvatureconfigured to convey an ordinal relationship for navigating between eachof the plurality of graphical objects with the rotary input device, thecurvature of the arc being based at least in part on a spatialrelationship between the rotary input device and the display.
 18. Thecomputer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the display is a firstdisplay, the input signal is a first input signal, and the output signalis a first output signal, and further comprising: program code forreceiving a second input signal indicating the position of the rotaryinput device relative to a second display; and program code forgenerating a second output signal configured to cause the plurality ofgraphical objects to be displayed in an arc in the second display, thearc having a curvature configured to convey an ordinal relationship fornavigating between each of the plurality of graphical objects with therotary input device, the curvature of the arc being based at least inpart on a spatial relationship between the rotary input device and thesecond display.
 19. A computer-readable medium on which is encodedprocessor-executable program code, comprising: program code forgenerating a signal configured to cause a plurality of graphical objectsto be displayed in an arc, the arc having a curvature configured toconvey an ordinal relationship for navigating between each of theplurality of graphical objects with a rotary input device; program codefor transmitting said signal to create a first display; and program codefor transmitting said signal to create a second display.
 20. Acomputer-readable medium on which is encoded processor-executableprogram code, comprising program code for generating a signal configuredto cause a plurality of graphical objects to be displayed in an arc, thearc having a curvature configured to convey the ordinal relationship fornavigating between each of the plurality of graphical objects with arotary input device, the curvature of the arc being independent of thespatial relationship between the rotary input device and a display. 21.The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the arc is curved tothe right and further comprising: program code for receiving a signalindicating a clockwise rotation of the rotary input device; and programcode for causing a subsequent graphical object of the plurality ofgraphical objects to be selected.
 22. The computer-readable medium ofclaim 20, wherein the arc is curved to the right and further comprising:program code for receiving a signal indicating a counter-clockwiserotation of the rotary input device; and program code for causing aprevious graphical object of the plurality of graphical objects to beselected.
 23. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the arcis curved to the left and further comprising: program code for receivinga signal indicating a clockwise rotation of the rotary input device; andprogram code for causing a previous graphical object of the plurality ofgraphical objects to be selected.
 24. The computer-readable medium ofclaim 20, wherein the arc is curved to the top and further comprising:program code for receiving a signal indicating a clockwise rotation ofthe rotary input device; and program code for causing a subsequentgraphical object of the plurality of graphical objects to be selected.25. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the arc is curvedto the bottom and further comprising: program code for receiving asignal indicating a clockwise rotation of the rotary input device; andprogram code for causing a previous graphical object of the plurality ofgraphical objects to be selected.
 26. The computer-readable medium ofclaim 20, wherein the arc is curved to the right and further comprising:program code for receiving a signal indicating a clockwise rotation ofthe rotary input device; and program code for causing an index of theplurality of graphical objects to be incremented.
 27. Thecomputer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the arc is curved to theleft and further comprising: program code for receiving a signalindicating a clockwise rotation of the rotary input device; and programcode for causing an index of the plurality of graphical objects to bedecremented.
 28. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein thesignal is a first signal and the arc is a first arc, and furthercomprising program code for generating a signal configured to cause aplurality of graphical objects to be displayed in a second arc, thesecond arc having a curvature configured to convey the ordinalrelationship for navigating between each of the plurality of graphicalobjects with the rotary input device, the curvature of the second arcbeing independent of the spatial relationship between the rotary inputdevice and the display and independent of the curvature of the firstarc.
 29. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, further comprisingprogram code for switching between the first arc and the second arc.